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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22886095">for the love of a princess</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/scientificapricot/pseuds/scientificapricot'>scientificapricot</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Once Upon a Time (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Captain Swan Concert Series (Once Upon a Time), Enchanted Forest AU, F/M, Ficlet, Fluff, Romance, also horses, and scenery</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 09:14:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>943</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22886095</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/scientificapricot/pseuds/scientificapricot</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A reunion of lovers in the light of the dawn.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Emma Swan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>48</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>for the love of a princess</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>My fic contribution to the wonderful @csconcertseries. It was a joy to write this and just go where the music led me, and not worry about a word count. Thank you so much to the CSCS mods for running this event! &lt;3</p><p>The song I chose was the instrumental “For the Love of a Princess” by Celtic Woman (which I think came from Braveheart but that’s not how I know it so we’ll just ignore that). Here’s a youtube link if you want to listen to it, which I HIGHLY recommend, especially as you read the fic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-rwVs-HV-Q</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The moon’s glow began to wane as the deep dark of the night receded. A pale blue mist rolled in from the ocean and over the kingdom in anticipation of the warmth of the day.</p><p>The princess awoke in her bedchamber with the dim blue light of the pre-dawn. On instinct, her hand moved to the ring at her breast, still safe on its chain around her neck. Her thumb pressed into the red stone until her warmth was transferred to its cold flesh, her nail scraping over the engravings on the band. She released a sigh, and sat up easily, for her sleep had been restless and her dreams fleeting.</p><p>She paused as she stood up, her head tilted to the side as if listening to a faint and far away song. A smile broke over her features, full of joy and as bright as the coming sun. The princess rushed to her wardrobe, dressing in soft and sturdy riding clothes in the lingering shadows of the night, not bothering to light a candle or adorn herself in the shiny trappings of her title. Her golden waves she swept into a loose braid, her face she splashed with cold water and fresh soap.</p><p>With sure, muffled steps the woman crept out of the castle and across the yard to the stable. She was greeted with the gentle nickering of the horses and the rustle of dry hay as they rose for the day. She found her own steed already awake, watching her with bright, quiet eyes, as if it knew that its services would be needed this morning. She greeted it with an apple from her pocket and whispered words of excitement, stroking the dappled gray neck as she saddled and bridled it.</p><p>A few minutes later, the clop of hooves echoed briefly around the castle courtyard as the princess took her leave, before fading into the twittering of the birds and the peace of the morning.</p><p>-/-</p><p>As the night faded and the blue light stretched across the sea, the pirate awoke in the narrow bed of his cabin, for sleep had not held him tightly in her hold that night either. His hand too reached for the ring on the chain around his neck, it’s delicate metal and small green jewel clinking against his own bands. He brought it to his lips, and pressed a soft kiss to it, warming it with his breath.</p><p>The pirate rose from his bunk, letting the ring fall to rest against the dark hair of his chest as he ran his hand through the equally dark, sleep-rumpled strands on his head. As he was pouring himself a goblet of water, he paused, staring out the small windows in his cabin wall  that afforded him a view of the sea. His gaze travelled far away, seeing things beyond the reach of the pre-dawn light. His breath caught, and a whispered name fell from his lips as they curled into a smile more blinding that the summer sun reflected off the water.</p><p>He quickly dressed in his usual dark breeches, loose shirt, and red brocade vest, but forewent the heavy armor of his greatcoat. After a brief wash of his face and a taming of his hair and ginger-sprinkled stubble, the man climbed the ladder to the deck of his ship to relieve the night watch and guide the vessel into port.</p><p>-/-</p><p>The eager pink light of the dawn caressed the deep green meadows, their grasses sprinkled with dew, flowers preparing to open and greet the day. The princess galloped across the hills, nothing but the cry of far away gulls and the beat of her horse’s hooves to accompany her. The cool, sweet breeze caressed her curls, tempting to tug them free from their braid.</p><p>-/-</p><p>As the light turned orange, bathing the docks and roofs of the seaside village, the pirate cantered out of the public stables on his own steed, it’s shiny black coat glinting in the morning glow, picking up speed once it left the confining cobblestones streets for the open hills. The man headed for the cliffs that stood flush against the ocean, periodically kissed by its waves and white spray.</p><p>-/-</p><p>The gray horse slowed as it broke over the final crest of land, greeted by the rush of waves below the cliffs. The woman atop the horse swept her gaze over the landscape with sharp, eager eyes, whispering a name with an excited inhale of breath as a dark figure approached from the other side of the cliffs. The two people urged their animals forward, meeting among a patch of pink middlemist flowers, barely waiting for the horses to come to a stop before dismounting and running towards each other.</p><p>As the first rays of the morning broke above the depths of the sea, the princess and the pirate finally met, catching one another in a tight embrace that spoke of the long months in which they had been parted. They gripped each other tightly, fingers digging into clothing and faces buried in hair and neck.</p><p>
  <em>“Killian.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Emma.”</em>
</p><p>Names and reassurances, platitudes and declarations of love were exchanged between them, and they pulled away from each other just enough for his blue eyes to meet her green, as the edge of the land meets the sea, before they moved as one and molded their lips in a passionate kiss that radiated pure love, engulfed the brilliant blaze of the newly emerged sun.</p><p>A happy peace and relief washed over the lovers, the princess and the pirate, for her sailor was home from the sea and his savior was back in his arms.</p>
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